Phoenix AZ (November 18, 2021) – The Arizona Community Foundation and its donors are pleased to announce grant and scholarship distributions for the second quarter of its fiscal year. Between July 1 and September 30, 2021, a total of $29,292,494 was awarded from funds of the Arizona Community Foundation and its six statewide affiliates in Cochise, Flagstaff, the Gila Valley, Sedona, Yavapai County, and Yuma.
The $29.3 million in both discretionary and advised grants and scholarships were awarded in five strategic priority areas: Health Innovations, Community Improvement & Development, Environment & Sustainability, Arts & Culture, and Quality Education.
Health Innovations: A total of $14.2 million was awarded to 488 organizations and programs in the areas of health, health care, medical research, and a variety of human services. Among the distributions for the quarter were: $25,000 from the John & Carole Wooldrik Fund to UMOM New Day Centers to support the homeless; $62,624 from the Flagstaff Flood Disaster Relief Fund to Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona to provide assistance to residents suffering financial losses due to the flood damage done to their homes in Flagstaff; and $79,996 from the Telegraph and Mescal Fire Relief Fund to Gila County, United Fund of Globe-Miami, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Gila House, Inc., and Legends of Superior Trails for wildfire recovery and fire and flood relief.
DONOR HIGHLIGHT:
In July and August, historic levels of rainfall on the burn scar of a large wildfire created surging water and flooding in Flagstaff. As a result, many individuals and families faced damage to their homes and other financial losses. Generous contributions from hundreds of donors to the Flagstaff Flood Disaster Relief Fund will help support those impacted by the natural disaster. In collaboration with City of Flagstaff, Coconino County, and Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona, ACF of Flagstaff developed a plan to distribute the funds to those in need. This fall, Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona began administering the funds to individual families who were identified through the joint report from the county and city for those affected by interior damage during the first three storms.
Community Improvement & Development: A total of $2.1 million was awarded to 156 programs in this category, which includes housing, community and neighborhood development, financial literacy training, legal assistance, and crime prevention programs. Among the grants awarded this quarter was $10,000 from the Arizona Asian Pacific American Women’s Giving Circle to fund OCA Arizona’s educational workshops to train bystanders who may witness hate crimes.
Environment & Sustainability: A total of $331,018 was awarded to 77 organizations and programs in the areas of environmental education, renewable resources, conservation, and animal welfare. Among the distributions for the quarter were: $15,000 from the LeRoy Thon & Ruth V. Thon Advised Fund to the Phoenix Zoo for general support and $5,000 from the Turner-Greener Endowment Fund to Friends of the Sierra Vista Animal Shelter as designated support for direct veterinary care for sick/injured animals in Cochise County.
DONOR HIGHLIGHT:
In June of this year, the Telegraph and Mescal fires and flooding in Globe-Miami did extensive damage to communities across eastern Arizona. The fires covered 181,000 acres and destroyed ten homes, while flooding damaged and destroyed 120 homes and required many businesses and government buildings to evacuate. In response, the Arizona Community Foundation activated its Disaster Relief Fund, and community support began pouring in immediately. In total, donors contributed over $79,000 to support both immediate relief and long-term recovery. Family/Individual Relief Grants were awarded to Gila House, Inc., the Gila County Community Action Program, and United Fund of Globe-Miami to support temporary shelter, home repairs, and clean up and household supplies. Environmental Remediation Grants were also granted to Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Legends of Superior Trails, Inc., and Gila County’s native grass seeding project.
Arts & Culture: A total of $966,204 was awarded to 86 artistic and cultural organizations across Arizona. Among the grants were: $4,400 from the Kax Herberger Fund for Talented Children—an annual distribution to support the career development of young pianists—and $10,000 from the Kevin and Meg Hickey Family Fund to Musicians on Call for general support.
DONOR HIGHLIGHT:
The Kevin and Meg Hickey Family Fund granted $10,000 to Musicians on Call, a nonprofit that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities. Fund founders Meg and Kevin shared that their daughter, Kaitlyn, has been volunteering for Musicians on Call in New York City for several years, visiting hospitals to sing for patients. After witnessing the positive effect of the organization’s programs on patients, they were inspired to lend their support. “Music is amazing therapy for anyone, especially those experiencing illness,” said Meg. Musicians on Call operates in cities across the United States, including Phoenix and Tucson.
Quality Education: During this quarter, a total of $6.8 million was awarded in scholarships and education-related grants. Among the grants was $25,000 from the John & Delys Ellis Fund to the Million Dollar Teacher Project for evaluating efficacy of school program outcomes to better serve Arizona schools.
College scholarships accounted for $4.1 million of the quarter’s total and were awarded for the benefit of 1,129 students pursuing higher education. College scholarships are awarded to Arizona students to attend a wide range of colleges, universities, and technical schools in Arizona and across the United States.
In addition to these grants, 34 nonprofit organizations with agency endowments managed by the Arizona Community Foundation received their annual distributions during the second quarter of ACF’s fiscal year, accounting for $4.9 million distributed during the quarter.
The $29.3 million awarded across all categories represents 2,132 grants and scholarships. Some grants are awarded at the discretion of the Arizona Community Foundation with input from board committees and diverse community panels, while others are awarded through donor advice. All grants are approved or ratified by ACF’s Philanthropic Services Committee whose members include ACF board representatives and other community leaders.
Established in 1978, the Arizona Community Foundation is a statewide family of charitable funds supported by thousands of Arizonans. With five regional offices serving communities across Arizona, ACF is among the top 25 community foundations in the nation with more than $1.1 billion in trust and endowment assets, and is certified under the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations. Since inception, ACF and its affiliates have awarded more than $1.1 billion in grants, scholarships and loans to nonprofit organizations, schools, and government agencies. More information is available at azfoundation.org.